Kilkenny stand firm under Cork onslaught

Kilkenny 1-14 Cork 1-11

Brian Cody's team sparkled in the first half when the Munster champions were haunted by some terrible finishing and stuttered in the face of an admirable recovery that was given huge impetus by Setanta Ó hAilpín's 53rd minute goal. But Kilkenny had the character and the strength in defence to survive and then triumph through Martin Comerford's goal five minutes from the end of normal time.

A win in which man-of-the-match Noel Hickey at full-back and Martin Comerford (mainly at full-forward) made key contributions, brought Kilkenny level with Cork in the roll of honour with their 28th title. And, other than recording the double-double of League and championship for 2002 and 2003, it saw D.J. Carey lift the Liam McCarthy Cup at the end of a week in which he was shabbily treated by sections of the media over his personal life.